Ronda Rousey Says Concussions Forced her to Retire From UFC – Ronda Rousey attributes her retirement from mixed martial arts to a series of concussions she sustained throughout her judo career, which culminated in knockout losses to Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm in 2016, ending her tenure as one of the UFC’s most prominent stars after her success in judo, including a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“I’d like people to understand my reasons and motivations behind things,” Rousey said in an Instagram Live appearance to promote her upcoming memoir. “I was forced to leave fighting when I was faster, stronger, more skilled and had a better understanding of the art than ever before. It was a really hard decision to understand, one that my body made for me.”
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At 29 years old, Rousey retired from UFC and disclosed experiencing depression and contemplating suicide following her departure from the sport. While facing criticism for evading inquiries regarding her defeats against Nunes and Holm, she explained on Instagram that her reticence stemmed from her reluctance to discuss her concussion history.
“I think there was just so much to [that loss] that I couldn’t talk about it in the form of an interview or article or anything like that, or there would be several filters between my words and people reading it,” Rousey said. “So much had to do with having so many concussions when I was in judo before I even got into MMA.”
“I couldn’t talk about it at all when I was doing MMA because it would literally put a target on my head and I might not have been allowed to compete any farther.” Rousey was regarded as pivotal in establishing a strong foundation for female fighters within the UFC. Following her departure from MMA, she transitioned to a prominent role in WWE and explored opportunities in film and television.
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